A handful of members and persons close to Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), Indonesia’s most prominent extremist organisation, have developed a profitable publishing consortium in and around the pesantren (religious school) founded by Abu Bakar Ba’asyir and Abdullah Sungkar in Solo, Central Java. The consortium has become an important vehicle for the dissemination of jihadi thought, getting...

One year after police operations in Poso, Central Sulawesi, there is cautious optimism that jihadi violence has come to an end, but justice, accountability and corruption problems need to be resolved. This briefing looks at the impact of the January 2007 operations that led to the death, arrest or flight of key extremists and later...

The government of Timor-Leste and the UN must revitalise efforts to reform the fledging state’s police and army or risk a relapse into violent civil conflict, according to this report. report from the International Crisis Group, examines the need for fundamental changes in national and international approaches to reform of the key security institutions. Lines...

The security implications of climate change are attracting increased attention, and for good reason. Scientific evidence shows that the earth is warming due largely to human activities and at a potentially unprecedented rate. Long-term changes in climate already have occurred and are projected to continue, including sea-level rises, more intense and longer droughts, more intense...

Inflammatory rhetoric during the current parliamentary election campaign could reignite violent tensions in Timor-Leste, according to this briefing paper, which explores the political environment as the young country faces a key vote on 30 June. Successful elections could strengthen political institutions and thus be an important part of nation-building for a country badly shaken by...